Parametric study on energy and thermal performance of school buildings with natural ventilation, hybrid ventilation and air conditioning

Most school buildings in Taiwan rely on natural ventilation to maintain thermal comfort. However, many buildings have overheating problems, and air conditioning is commonly used to solve the problem. Although schools are required to provide mechanical cooling when the indoor temperature exceeds 28℃ and maintain the indoor temperature at 28℃ for energy saving purpose, overheating is still a problem yet to be solved. Hybrid ventilation with adaptive comfort model is an effective strategy to ensure thermal comfort and reduce energy. This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of natural ventilation, hybrid ventilation and air conditioning on energy saving and overheating prevention under the climate conditions of Taiwan. The impact of architectural design on cooling energy and thermal comfort of a typical school building were quantified by parametric analysis. Priority parameters for each building condition were proposed as reference. Lastly, suggestions on air conditioning management scheme were proposed to enhance thermal comfort.